Do You Want Wealth, Wisdom, Strength and Honor?

Wisdom, strength, wealth and honor are
positive things we may aspire to have. But not all of us are born with great
intelligence. We may not have the stamina to run marathons, and most of us are
not born into richness or honor. Nevertheless, we each can acquire these
virtues if we just reframe what these qualities truly mean.

Ben Zoma says:

Who is wise? He who learns from every person …

Who is mighty? He who subdues his personal
inclination …

Who is rich? He who is happy with his portion …

Who is honored? He who honors others … (Avot
4:1)

Do you want wisdom? There are people who score high levels on
their IQ tests, but in practical life’s skills are lacking. Thirst for wisdom,
and you will become wise. Realize that you can learn something from every person, and every encounter will
increase your intelligence.

The key is humility. Just as silver
and gold come from the ground, likewise, we can gain knowledge from anyone,
even those who seem lowly. Every person is a creation of G‑d, and if this
individual crossed your path, there is something you can learn from him (even
if it’s what not to do). The holy
Rabbi Zusya of Anipoli learned three things from infants: a) to always be busy;
b) to cry out without shame for their needs; and c) to feel content when their
basic needs are satisfied.

Do you want
to be strong? Many animals possess far greater strength than even the most
trained human; donkeys carry heavy loads, and lions are fierce warriors.
However, human beings are unique in that we can become masters of our passions
and gain self-control over our actions. If you want to be strong, focus on
strength of character. “He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and a
master of his passion is greater than a conqueror of a city” (Proverbs 16:32).

Do you want
to be rich? Material
wealth is transient. The thrill of buying something new is lost with the itch
of the next purchase. “One who has one hundred wants two hundred” (Kohelet Rabbah 1:34). There are wealthy people
who are paupers, constantly hungering for their next windfall. Only when we
have an inner contentment—realizing that what we have is exactly what G‑d wants
us to have—can we be truly wealthy.

Do you want
respect?
Respect others! A person who respects others recognizes that every individual
is created in G‑d’s image. Sensitivity to human dignity is in essence showing
honor to G‑d. We can only give to others what we possess, but each of us has
that essential dignity to honor others.

We don’t choose our life’s circumstances, nor do we choose what
talents or abilities we are born with. But we can control how we react to our
circumstance. Internalize and integrate these qualities into your personality,
and you can acquire them all!

Chana Weisberg is the editor of TheJewishWoman.org. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, self-esteem and the Jewish soul. She is the author of six books. Her latest book, Shabbat Delights, is a two-volume series on the weekly Torah portion.

Respect those who fall short of your expectations.I wonder if things were not the way they are, how different they could have been.I was born with a sight issue, in 1948 things were different and little understood. I remember struggling not understanding why?Many years later, I now understand the reasons I was so accident prone.I'm now in a wheelchair, and a great grandmother. Strangely, enough it's no longer the sight problem that caused issues.No one inherited my faulty connection to the brain.I think to me respect, is such a different word in the true meaning. I'm accepted for the person I am, not the person I'm not.The article teaches to live our lives as we are, to embrace and to be.HaShem, is not selective who he loves.
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Mrs. Chana WeisbergMay 23, 2019

in response to Helen Dudden:

Helen, thanks for sharing your very beautiful words of wisdom. Much to contemplate,
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Helen DuddenBristolJune 3, 2019

in response to Mrs. Chana Weisberg:

Thank you, that's very kind. I do believe in life after disability.
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Just Do It
Yes, we can acquire them all, but not to be satisfied once we have done so.I think that the key to a fulfilled life is to be thankful for what we have, and have achieved, and to appreciate who we are, but to always want more and build upon those achievements.Even wanting more material belongings is commendable, as long as we don’t get consumed by that, because there are always more to be had, and pursuing the impossible would only lead to frustration.However expanding on the four goals cited, and wanting more, would further enhance our feelings of worthiness and contentment.

Chana, I appreciated your commentary very much, and learned a lot from it.It really didn’t need anything added to it, but I used it to jump on one of my favorite objectives.And that is to get people to never be satisfied, but to always try to improve themselves.Our country needs President Kennedys saying to come to life, “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.
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Mrs. Chana WeisbergMay 21, 2019

in response to Jules Scher:

Thank you for writing, very insightful! Yes, we can always strive to reach higher.
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Anastasia SloveniaMay 19, 2019

So much useful wisdom gathered in a short place. It made me think a lot and gave me inspiration. Thank you for this awesome article! Everytime I go on Chabad.org I find something great and helpful. This website is like a treasure of wisdom and I'm so thankful that exists. Keep writing, you're all amazing!
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Chana Weisberg is the editor of TheJewishWoman.org. She lectures internationally on issues relating to women, relationships, meaning, self-esteem and the Jewish soul. She is the author of six books. Her latest book, Shabbat Delights, is a two-volume series on the weekly Torah portion.